Sheet guide apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a sheet guide apparatus, a rotary guide body is supported to be rotatable and movable in directions to separate from and come close to the upper surface of a sheet. The outer surface of the rotary guide body comes into contact with the upper surface of the sheet to guide the sheet. A rotary guide body adjusting unit adjusts a position of the rotary guide body in directions to separate from and come close to the upper surface of the sheet. A plate-like guide body extends in the convey direction and lateral direction of the sheet, includes a guide surface which comes into contact with the upper surface of the sheet to guide the sheet, and is supported to be movable in the directions to separate from and come close to the upper surface of the sheet. A plate-like guide body adjusting unit adjusts a position of the plate-like guide body in the directions to separate from and come close to the upper surface of the sheet. The sheet contact portion on the outer surface of the rotary guide body is set below the guide surface of the plate-like guide body through at least one space portion which is formed in a downstream end of the plate-like guide body in the sheet convey direction to correspond to the rotary guide body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sheet guide apparatus which guides aconveyed sheet to a front lay.

Generally, in a sheet guide apparatus used in a feed device or the likefor a sheet-fed rotary printing press, the sheet is not always flat. Forexample, sometimes the front edge of the sheet may deform by, e.g.,waving, warping, or curling. If the sheet deforms in this manner, itdoes not abut against a front lay but may ride over it. In order toprevent this, a sheet guide apparatus of this type is provided with asheet pressing device, downstream of a feedboard in a sheet conveydirection, which straightens a deforming sheet fed onto the feedboard.Hence, the sheet can be abutted against the front lay reliably,positioned by the front lay, and corrected from traveling skew, so thatthe sheet can be transferred to a sheet transfer device reliably.

As a sheet pressing device of this type, a sheet pressing plate made ofan elastic material and a roller which comes into contact with the uppersurface of a conveyed sheet are proposed, as described in JapanesePatent Laid-Open No. 2002-225228.

Assume that the sheet pressing device is a sheet pressing plate. Thesheet pressing device guides a sheet within a wide range in a conveydirection and a direction perpendicular to the convey direction. Hence,if the sheet is thin, deformation occurring in the thin sheet can becorrected. If the sheet is thick, when thick sheets are conveyed tooverlap like scales, a preceding sheet may raise the sheet pressingplate, so that the next sheet that follows cannot be appropriatelyguided to the front lay. As the sheet and sheet pressing plate rubagainst each other, the sheet surface can be damaged easily.Particularly, when the sheet is a film or the like that can readily bedamaged, this sheet pressing plate cannot be employed.

Assume that the guide member is a roller. In this case, even when thicksheets are conveyed to overlap like scales, as the roller presses apreceding sheet through point contact, the next sheet that follows canbe reliably guided to the front lay. However, an impact generated uponabutment of the thin sheet against the front lay can form wrinkles inthe sheet, and deformation occurring in the sheet cannot be corrected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet guideapparatus which guides various types of sheets to be able to reliablyabut against a front lay.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the presentinvention, there is provided a sheet guide apparatus comprising a frontlay which abuts against a downstream end of a sheet in a conveydirection and regulates movement of the sheet in the convey direction,one or more rotary guide bodies each of which is supported to berotatable and movable in directions to separate from and come close toan upper surface of a sheet and an outer surface of which comes intocontact with the upper surface of the sheet to guide the sheet, a rotaryguide body adjusting unit which adjusts a position of the rotary guidebody in directions to separate from and come close to the upper surfaceof the sheet, a plate-like guide body extending in the convey directionand a lateral direction of the sheet, including a guide surface whichcomes into contact with the upper surface of the sheet to guide thesheet, and supported to be movable in the directions to separate fromand come close to the upper surface of the sheet, and a plate-like guidebody adjusting unit which adjusts a position of the plate-like guidebody in the directions to separate from and come close to the uppersurface of the sheet, wherein a sheet contact portion on the outersurface of the rotary guide body is set below the guide surface of theplate-like guide body through one more space portions each of which isformed in a downstream end of the plate-like guide body in the sheetconvey direction to correspond to the rotary guide body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are plan views of a sheet guide apparatus according toone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main part of a plate-like guide body shownin FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3A is a view seen from the arrow III(A) in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along the line III(B)-III(B) in FIG.1B;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 6A is a view seen from the arrow VI(B) in FIG. 6B;

FIG. 6B is a sectional view taken along the line VI(B) in FIG. 1B;

FIG. 7A is a sectional view taken along the line VII(A) in FIG. 1A; and

FIG. 7B is a view seen from the VII(B) in FIG. 7A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A sheet guide apparatus according to one embodiment of the presentinvention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 7B.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a sheet guide apparatus 1 according to thisembodiment comprises a feedboard 2 (sheet guide member) serving as asheet guide member to which a sheet is conveyed from a feeder board (notshown), front lays 3 which are provided at the downstream (direction ofan arrow A) end of the feedboard 2 in the sheet convey direction andabut against the downstream edge of the sheet in the convey direction toregulate the movement of the sheet in the convey direction, and a guidedevice 4 which guides the sheet to the front lays 3. Each front lay 3comprises a pair of lays 3 a against which the leading edge (downstreamedge in the sheet convey direction) of the sheet abuts, a lay hook 3 bwhich is arranged above the sheet and guides the sheet to the lays 3 a,and a lever device 3 c (FIG. 3B) which supports the lays 3 a and layhook 3 b. Of the front lays 3, in one front lay 3 arranged at the centerin the sheet widthwise direction (a direction perpendicular to the sheetconvey direction), the pair of lays 3 a are disposed adjacent to eachother. In each of the front lays 3 arranged at the two sides, the layhook 3 b is disposed between the pair of lays 3 a.

The guide device 4 comprises five plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5Espreading along the upper surface of the sheet and extending in adirection perpendicular to the sheet convey direction, and a pluralityof rotary guide bodies 6 which are supported to be rotatable and movablein directions to separate from and come close to the upper surface ofthe sheet and the outer surfaces of which are in contact with the uppersurface of the sheet. The plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E are supportedto be movable in directions to separate from and come close to the uppersurface of the sheet. Each rotary guide body 6 comprises a wheel made ofa plastic material. The center of the outer surface of the rotary guidebody 6 swells, as shown in FIG. 6A.

A prismatic stay 7 extends between a pair of sheet feed frames 8A and8B. Support blocks 9A and 9B fixed to the sheet feed frames 8A and 8Brotatably support columnar two ends 7 a and 7 b of the stay 7.

[Support Structure for Plate-Like Guide Body]

A support structure for the plate-like guide body will be described. Asshown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the stay 7 is provided with support devices10A and 10B (plate-like guide body adjusting devices) at its two ends.The support devices 10A and 10B support the plate-like guide bodies 5Ato 5E to be movable and adjustable in the vertical direction (directionsto separate from and come close to the upper surface of the sheet). Thesupport devices 10A and 10B have the same structure. Hence, the supportdevice 10B will be described hereinafter, and the support device 10Awill be described where necessary.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the support device 10B comprises a first adjustingbolt 11 (support body adjusting member) which moves the plate-like guidebodies 5A to 5E vertically, a moving body 12 which moves vertically uponrotation of the adjusting bolt 11, a support body 14 which supports theplate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E through a support plate 13 and movesintegrally with the moving body 12, and a fixing bolt 16 (support bodyfixing member) which fixes the support body 14 to the stay 7 through afirst fixing block 15.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the adjusting bolt 11, a large-diameter portion11 b, threaded portion 11 d, and small-diameter portion 11 c aresequentially formed integrally with a knob 11 a (manipulating portion)at the upper end. The threaded portion 11 d threadably engages with athreaded hole 7 a of the stay 7. The moving body 12 with a U-shapedsection has a pair of opposing portions 12 b which have insertion holes12 a where the adjusting bolt 11 is to be inserted and which oppose eachother. The moving body 12 is supported by the stay 7 through theadjusting bolt 11 such that the stay 7 is located between the pair ofopposing portions 12 b.

A stopper 17 fixed to the small-diameter portion 11 c of the adjustingbolt 11 and the large-diameter portion 11 b loosely sandwich the pair ofopposing portions 12 b of the moving body 12. When rotating theadjusting bolt 11 clockwise/counterclockwise, the moving body 12 movestogether with the adjusting bolt 11 vertically with respect to the stay7.

As shown in FIG. 3B, bolts 18 a and 18 b attach the support body 14 tothe pair of opposing portions 12 b of the moving body 12. The supportbody 14 has a vertically long elongated hole 14 a in which the fixingbolt 16 is to be inserted. The structure comprising the moving body 12and support body 14 is attached to sandwich the stay 7. Whenmanipulating the adjusting bolt 11, this structure moves vertically asit is guided by the side surface of the stay 7.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, bolts 19 attach the fixing block 15 to thestay 7. The fixing block 15 has a threaded hole 15 a which threadablyengages with the fixing bolt 16. The support body 14 is located betweena knob 16 a of the fixing bolt 16 and the fixing block 15. In thisarrangement, first, the knob 16 a of the fixing bolt 16 is pivoted toloosen the fixing bolt 16, thus disengaging the support body 14. Afterthat, the adjusting bolt 11 is rotated clockwise/counterclockwise tomove the moving body 12 in the vertical direction. At this time, thesupport body 14 moves in the vertical direction to follow the movingbody 12. After moving the support body 14 in the vertical direction, thefixing bolt 16 is fastened, so that a large-diameter portion 16 b of thefixing bolt 16 and the fixing block 15 fix the support body 14. Theelongated hole 14 a of the support body 14 is formed so that the supportbody 14 can be fixed by the fixing bolt 16 even when the adjusting bolt11 adjusts the position of the support body 14.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the elongated support plate 13 extendsbetween the support devices 10A and 10B. As shown in FIG. 5, bolts 20attach the two ends of the support plate 13 to the support bodies 14 ofthe support devices 10A and 10B. As shown in FIG. 5, each of theplate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E has a proximal end 5 a extendingperpendicularly to the upper surface of the sheet, and a guide portion 5b extending in the horizontal direction, thus forming an L shape with acurved section. The guide portion 5 b comes into contact with a sheet Pto guide it to the front lays 3.

Bolts 21 attach the proximal ends 5 a of the respective plate-like guidebodies 5A to 5E to the support plate 13 such that the guide portions 5 bare in contact with the upper surface of the sheet P. As shown in FIG.2, that end of each guide portion 5 b which is downstream in the sheetconvey direction (the direction of the arrow A) has notches 5 c whichform space portions opposing the plurality of rotary guide bodies 6, andguide surfaces 5 d corresponding to the portions among the notches 5 c.

According to this embodiment, by manipulating the adjusting bolt 11, theposition of the support body 14 is adjusted, and the gap amount isadjusted between the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E and the feedboard2. More specifically, the support body 14 is movable in the verticaldirection, and the guide surfaces 5 d of the plate-like guide bodies 5Ato 5E are movable in the direction perpendicular to the upper surface ofthe sheet P. Hence, even when moving the plate-like guide bodies 5A to5E, the parallel degree between the guide surfaces 5 d and the uppersurface of the sheet P is maintained. As a result, the entire surfacesof the guide surfaces 5 d come into contact with a sheet of anythickness evenly, so that the guide surfaces 5 d can guide the sheet Preliably. Wrinkles are prevented from being formed in the sheet P by animpact applied when the sheet P abuts against the front lays 3. Also,deformation of the sheet P such as wrinkles or waves existing in thesheet P before the sheet P abuts against the front lays 3 can becorrected reliably.

The adjusting bolt 11, moving body 12, and support body 14 constitute aplate-like guide adjusting device. The fixing block 15 and fixing bolt16 constitute a plate-like guide fixing device.

Side lay devices 23 are known side lay devices serving as widthwisedirection alignment devices, and align the sheet in a directionperpendicular to the sheet convey direction when the downstream end ofthe sheet in the sheet convey direction abuts against the front lays 3.

[Support Structure for Rotary Guide Body]

A support structure for each rotary guide body 6 will be described withreference to FIGS. 6A and 6B. As shown in FIG. 6B, a bolt 26 fixes asecond fixing block 25 to the stay 7. The fixing block 25 has ahorizontal portion 27 with a threaded hole 27 a and a vertical portion28 with a threaded hole 28 a, thus forming an L shape. A pair ofopposing axial supports 28 b extend downward from the lower end of thevertical portion 28.

The pair of axial supports 28 b of the vertical portion 28 swingablysupport a shaft portion 30 a projecting at the center of a lever 30(support member). The rotary guide body 6 is rotatably supported at oneend of the lever 30 through a shaft 31. A spring shoe recess 30 b isformed between the end and center of the lever 30. A second adjustingbolt 32 (support member adjusting member) threadably engages with thethreaded hole 27 a of the fixing block 25. The distal end of theadjusting bolt 32 abuts against the other end of the lever 30 toregulate the pivot motion of the lever 30. A knob 32 a is integrallyfixed to the upper end of the adjusting bolt 32. A lock nut 32 bthreadably engages with the adjusting bolt 32. When pivoting the locknut 32 b to come into tight contact with the surface of the horizontalportion 27 of the fixing block 25, the loosening of the adjusting bolt32 is regulated, thus locking the adjusting bolt 32.

A spring pressure adjusting bolt 33 (biasing force adjusting member)threadably engaging with the threaded hole 28 a of the fixing block 25thredably engages with a nut 34. A compression coil spring 35 (biasingmember) is elastically mounted between the distal end of the bolt 33 andthe recess 30 b of the lever 30. The spring force of the compressioncoil spring 35 biases the lever 30 about the shaft portion 30 a as thepivot center in a direction to urge the rotary guide body 6 against thesheet P (a direction to urge the other end of the lever 30 against thedistal end of the adjusting bolt 32).

In this arrangement, when loosening the lock nut 32 b and pivoting theadjusting bolt 32 such that the distal end moves downward, the lever 30pivots clockwise in FIG. 6B against the spring force of the compressioncoil spring 35. This separates the rotary guide body 6 from the uppersurface of the sheet P. When pivoting the adjusting bolt 32 such thatits distal end moves upward, the spring force of the compression coilspring 35 pivots the lever 30 counterclockwise in FIG. 6B. Thus, therotary guide body 6 comes close to the upper surface of the sheet P. Inthis manner, by manipulating the adjusting bolt 32, the position of thelever 30 is adjusted, and the gap amount between the rotary guide body 6and feedboard 2 is adjusted.

The rotary guide body 6 is made of a plastic material with a lowcoefficient of friction, and the center of the outer surface of therotary guide body 6 forms an arc. Hence, the outer surface of the rotaryguide body 6 and the sheet are in point contact with each other toreduce the frictional force generated between the rotary guide body 6and the sheet. Consequently, when the side lay devices 23 move the sheetin the direction perpendicular to the convey direction, the rotary guidebody 6 will not damage the sheet by rubbing. The lever 30, fixing block25, compression coil spring 35, and adjusting bolt 32 constitute anindividual rotary body adjusting device.

[Support Structure for Stay]

A structure which pivots the stay 7 will be described with reference toFIGS. 7A and 7B. As shown in FIG. 7A, bolts 36 a fix a fixing block 36to one sheet feed frame 8A. A bolt 38 fixes the support block 9A to thefixing block 36. A-bolt 40 fixes a bracket 39, having an inverted-Lshape when seen from the side, to the rear end face of the support block9A. A support body 41 is pivotally mounted on the bracket 39 through ashaft 41 a.

A rotary member 42, which is regulated from moving in the axialdirection and rotatably supported by the support body 41, has a springshoe 42 a at one end. A shaft 43 is axially mounted on the spring shoe42 a, and a threaded portion 43 a is formed on the distal end of theshaft 43. A rotation-preventive large-diameter portion 42 b withserrations on its outer surface is integrally formed on the other end ofthe rotary member 42. A manipulating portion 42 c with a hexagonalsocket integrally projects on the large-diameter portion 42 b. Thedistal end of a leaf spring 44 attached to the support body 41 engageswith the outer surface of the large-diameter portion 42 b. The leafspring 44 and the serrations constitute a rotation-preventive mechanismwhich prevents pivot motion caused by vibration or the like when therotary member 42 is in operation.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a bolt 46 fixes a swing element 45 to one end ofthe stay 7 by split clamp. The upper portion of the swing element 45forms a Y shape that rotatably supports a small cylindrical pivotelement 45 a. A threaded hole 45 b which is to threadably engage withthe threaded portion 43 a of the rotary member 42 is formed in the pivotelement 45 a to extend in the radial direction. A compression coilspring 47 is elastically mounted between the swing element 45 and thespring shoe 42 a of the rotary member 42.

In this arrangement, when rotating the manipulating portion 42 c of therotary member 42 with a spanner or the like to rotate the shaft 43 inone direction, the swing element 45 pivots counterclockwise in FIG. 7Aabout the end 7 a of the stay 7 as the pivot center. When the stay 7pivots, the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E pivot counterclockwisethrough the support body 14 (FIG. 4) integral with the stay 7. As aresult, all the rotary guide bodies 6 supported by the stay 7 pivotclockwise (FIG. 6B) about the axial supports 28 b as the center toseparate from the upper surface of the sheet P simultaneously, therebyadjusting the gap amount between all the rotary guide bodies 6 and thefeedboard 2 at once simultaneously.

When rotating the manipulating portion 42 c of the rotary member 42 withthe spanner or the like to rotate the shaft 43 in the other direction,the swing element 45 pivots clockwise in FIG. 7A about the end 7 a ofthe stay 7 as the pivot center. When the stay 7 pivots, the plate-likeguide bodies 5A to 5E pivot clockwise through the support body 14 (FIG.5) integral with the stay 7. As a result, all the rotary guide bodies 6supported by the stay 7 pivot counterclockwise (FIG. 6B) about the axialsupports 28 b as the center to come close to the upper surface of thesheet P simultaneously, thereby adjusting the gap amount between all therotary guide bodies 6 and the feedboard 2 at once simultaneously. Therotary member 42, shaft 43, swing element 45, and compression coilspring 47 constitute an entire rotary guide body adjusting device.Furthermore, individual rotary guide body adjusting devices and/orentire rotary guide body adjusting device constitutes a rotary guidebody adjusting device.

A method of adjusting the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E and rotaryguide bodies 6, in the sheet guide apparatus having the abovearrangement, in accordance with the thickness and type of the sheet willbe described. First, a method that does not perform adjustment with thestay 7 will be described.

[When Sheet Is Thin]

When guiding a thin sheet, the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E androtary guide bodies 6 guide the sheet. More specifically, adjustment ofsetting the gap between the guide surfaces 5 d of the plate-like guidebodies 5A to 5E and the upper surface of the sheet P in accordance withthe sheet thickness, and adjustment of adjusting the plurality of rotaryguide bodies 6 separately by the individual rotary body adjustingdevices to set the gap between the outer surfaces of the rotary guidebodies 6 and the feedboard 2 in accordance with the sheet thickness, areperformed.

This will be described in detail. The knobs 16 a of the fixing bolts 16of the support devices 10A and 10B are rotated to loosen the fixingbolts 16. After that, the adjusting bolts 11 (FIG. 3B) are rotatedclockwise/counterclockwise. Hence, the moving bodies 12 move in thevertical direction, and the support bodies 14 also move in the verticaldirection to follow the moving bodies 12. The plate-like guide bodies 5Ato 5E also move in the vertical direction, and the gap between the guidesurfaces 5 d and the upper surface of the sheet P is set in accordancewith the sheet thickness. After that, the knobs 16 a are pivoted tofasten the fixing bolts 16, thus fixing the support bodies 14 to thefixing blocks 15, so that the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E areadjusted at positions that match the sheet thickness. At this time, asthe guide surfaces 5 d of the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E moveperpendicularly to the upper surface of the sheet P, the parallel degreebetween the guide surfaces 5 d and the upper surface of the sheet P ismaintained. Therefore, a sheet of any thickness can be reliably guidedto the front lays 3.

Subsequently, the fastened lock nut 32 b (FIG. 6B) is loosened. Afterrotating the knob 32 a of the adjusting bolt 32clockwise/counterclockwise, the adjusting bolt 32 is movedforward/backward from the horizontal portion 27 of the fixing blocks 25.This adjusts the position of the distal end of the adjusting bolt 32.Accordingly, the lever 30 swings clockwise/counterclockwise to set thegap between the outer surface of the rotary guide body 6 and the uppersurface of the sheet P in accordance with the sheet thickness. The locknut 32 b is then fastened to adjust the gap between the outer surface ofthe rotary guide body 6 and the upper surface of the sheet P to thesheet thickness, and then the lock nut 32 b is fixed. This adjustment isperformed for each rotary guide body 6 using each adjusting bolt 32.Hence, the plate-like guide bodies 5A and 5E and the rotary guide bodies6 guide the sheet P in the vicinities of the front lays 3. Thus, nowrinkles are formed in the sheet P by an impact occurring when the sheetP abuts against the front lays 3, and the sheet P is reliably guided tothe front lays 3. When adjusting the rotary guide bodies 6 and/orplate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E, the plate-like guide bodies 5A and 5Edo not interfere with the rotary guide bodies 6 because of the presenceof the notches 5 c of the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E.

[To Guide Easy-to-be-Damaged Sheet or Thick Sheet]

When guiding a sheet such as a film the surface of which can be damagedeasily, or when stiff sheets such as thick sheets are to be conveyed tooverlap like scales, the sheets are guided by only the rotary guidebodies 6 and not by the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E. Morespecifically, after loosening the knobs 16 a of the fixing bolts 16 ofthe support devices 10A and 10B by rotating, the adjusting bolts 11 arerotated to move the moving bodies 12 upward, as shown in FIG. 3B. Thesupport bodies 14 also move upward to follow the moving bodies 12, andthe plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E also move upward. Hence, the guidesurfaces 5 d separate from the feedboard 2 so as not to come intocontact with the sheet.

Because of the presence of the notches 5 c of the plate-like guidebodies 5A to 5E, the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E can be movedupward without interfering with the respective rotary guide bodies 6. Bythis adjustment, the sheet is guided by only the rotary guide bodies 6and accordingly is not damaged. Even when sheets are conveyed to overlaplike scales, the rotary guide bodies 6 can press a preceding sheet bypoint contact. Thus, the next sheet can be reliably guided to the frontlays 3.

[Initial Adjustment]

First, the gap between all the outer surfaces of the respective rotaryguide bodies 6 and the feedboard 2 is adjusted to be constant by theadjusting bolts 32.

[Adjusting Method by Pivoting Stay 7 After End of Initial Adjustment]

When changing thin sheets (thin paper) to thick sheets (thick paper),the stay 7 is pivoted to adjust all the rotary guide bodies 6simultaneously. More specifically, referring to FIG. 7A, themanipulating portion 42 c of the rotary member 42 is rotated using thespanner or the like to rotate the shaft 43 in one direction, so that theswing element 45 is pivoted clockwise in FIG. 7A about the distal end 7a of the stay 7 as the pivot center. Upon pivot motion of the stay 7,the rotary guide bodies 6 move through the support bodies 14 (FIG. 6B)integral with the stay 7, to set the gap between the outer surfaces ofthe rotary guide bodies 6 and the feedboard 2 in accordance with thesheet thickness. When adjusting the rotary guide bodies 6, theplate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E are also adjusted simultaneouslythrough the support bodies 14 integral with the stay 7.

At this time, if the sheet to be guided is an easily damaged sheet, ifthick sheets are to be conveyed to overlap like scales, or if guide bythe plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E is not necessary, furtheradjustment is performed so the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E will notcome into contact with the sheet. More specifically, after loosening theknobs 16 a of the fixing bolts 16 of the support devices 10A and 10B byrotation, the adjusting bolts 11 are rotated to move the moving bodies12 upward, as shown in FIG. 3B. The support bodies 14 are also movedupward to follow the movement of the moving bodies 12, so as to move theplate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E upward, thus largely separating theguide surfaces 5 d so as not to come into contact with the sheet. Inthis manner, all the rotary guide bodies 6 can be adjustedsimultaneously by pivoting the stay 7. As a result, the adjustment timecan be shortened, and the work efficiency can be improved.

When the sheet is thin, the stay 7 is pivoted to adjust all the rotaryguide bodies 6 at once simultaneously.

At this time, if the gap between the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5Eand the feedboard 2 is not set in accordance with the sheet thickness,the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E are adjusted to match the sheetthickness. More specifically, after loosening the knobs 16 a of thefixing bolts 16 of the support devices 10A and 10B by rotation, theadjusting bolts 11 are rotated to move the moving bodies 12 in thevertical direction, as shown in FIG. 3B. The support bodies 14 are alsomoved in the vertical direction to follow the movement of the movingbodies 12, so the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E are also moved in thevertical direction. Thus, the gap between the guide surfaces 5 d andfeedboard 2 is adjusted to match the sheet thickness.

When guiding the thin sheet with only the plate-like guide bodies 5A to5E, first, the stay 7 is pivoted in accordance with the method describedabove to adjust all the rotary guide bodies 6 at once simultaneously soas not come into contact with the sheet. Subsequently, the plate-likeguide bodies 5A to 5E are adjusted to match the sheet thickness. Morespecifically, after loosening the knobs 16 a of the fixing bolts 16 ofthe support devices 10A and 10B by rotation, the adjusting bolts 11 arerotated to move the moving bodies 12 downward, as shown in FIG. 3B. Thesupport bodies 14 are also moved downward to follow the moving bodies12, so as to move the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E downward. Thus,the gap between the guide surfaces 5 d and feedboard 2 is adjusted tomatch the sheet thickness.

According to this embodiment, wrinkles formed in the sheet P by theguide surfaces 5 d of the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E can becorrected. Even if the sheets P are conveyed to overlap like scales, apreceding sheet can be pressed by the rotary guide bodies 6 by pointcontact, so that the next sheet can be reliably guided to the front lays3. Since the guide surfaces 5 d of the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5Eare separated from the upper surface of the sheet P and the sheet isguided by only the rotary guide bodies 6, the sheet P will not bedamaged.

In this manner, since the sheet P can be guided by the rotary guidebodies 6 and/or plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E in the vicinities ofthe front lays 3, the sheet P can be reliably guided to the front lays3. When adjusting the rotary guide bodies 6 and/or plate-like guidebodies 5A to 5E, because of the presence of the notches 5 c of theplate-like guide bodies 5A to 5E, the plate-like guide bodies 5A to 5Ewill not interfere with the rotary guide bodies 6.

According to this embodiment, the notches 5 c form space portions.Alternatively, holes may form space portions. Although the plate guidemember is divided into five pieces, the plate guide member may compriseone piece or a plurality of pieces other than five pieces. Although thepresent invention has been described by applying a sheet guide apparatusto a printing press, the sheet guide apparatus can be applied to acoating machine, a testing machine which tests a sheet-type object, alaminate machine, an embossing machine, a punching machine, or the like.

As has been described above, according to the present invention, if anappropriate guide body is selected in accordance with the type of thesheet-type object, the sheet can be reliably guided to the front layswithout being damaged.

1.-8. (canceled)
 9. A sheet guide apparatus comprising: a front laywhich abuts against a downstream end of a sheet in a convey directionand regulates movement of the sheet in the convey direction; one or morerotary guide bodies, each of which is supported to be rotatable andmovable in directions to separate from and come close to an uppersurface of a sheet and an outer surface of which comes into contact withthe upper surface of the sheet to guide the sheet; a rotary guide bodyadjusting unit which adjusts a position of said rotary guide body indirections to separate from and come close to the upper surface of thesheet; a plate-like guide body extending in the convey direction and alateral direction of the sheet, including a guide surface which comesinto contact with the upper surface of the sheet to guide the sheet, andsupported to be movable in the directions to separate from and comeclose to the upper surface of the sheet; and a plate-like guide bodyadjusting unit which adjusts a position of said plate-like guide body inthe directions to separate from and come close to the upper surface ofthe sheet, wherein a sheet contact portion on the outer surface of saidrotary guide body is set below said guide surface of said plate-likeguide body through one or more space portions, each of which is formedin a downstream end of said plate-like guide body in the sheet conveydirection to correspond to said rotary guide body.
 10. An apparatusaccording to claim 9, wherein said rotary guide bodies line up in adirection perpendicular to the sheet convey direction, and said spaceportions are formed to correspond to said plurality of rotary guidebodies.
 11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said rotaryguide body adjusting unit comprises a first rotary guide body adjustingunit which adjusts all positions of said plurality of rotary guidebodies simultaneously, and a plurality of second rotary guide bodyadjusting units which are provided to correspond to said plurality ofrotary guide bodies and adjust positions of said plurality of rotaryguide bodies individually.
 12. An apparatus according to claim 11,further comprising a stay which is rotatably supported between a pair offrames and on which said plurality of rotary guide bodies and saidplurality of second rotary guide adjusting units are supported, whereinsaid plurality of rotary guide bodies move simultaneously when saidfirst rotary guide body adjusting unit rotates said stay.
 13. Anapparatus according to claim 12, wherein said plate-like guide body andsaid plate-like guide body adjusting unit are supported by said stay.14. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said second rotary guidebody adjusting units comprise a support member which is swingablysupported and rotatably supports said rotary guide body, a firstadjusting member which regulates a swing position of said support memberand performs position adjustment to adjust a position of said supportmember, and a biasing member which biases said first support member toabut against said adjusting member.
 15. An apparatus according to claim13 wherein said plate-like guide body adjusting unit comprises a supportbody which is attached to said stay to be movable in directions toseparate from and come close to the upper surface of the sheet andsupports said plate-like guide bodies, and a second adjusting memberwhich moves said support body in the directions to separate from andcome close to the upper surface of the sheet.
 16. An apparatus accordingto claim 9, wherein said space portion comprises a notch of saidplate-like guide body which opens downstream in the sheet conveydirection.